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Samoa
Use	National flag and ensign
Proportion	1:2
Adopted	24 February 1949; 75 years ago; 1 January 1962; 62 years ago
Design	A red field with the blue rectangle on the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing the Southern Cross of four white larger five-pointed stars and the smaller star in the center.
Designed by	Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole and Malietoa Tanumafili II

The flag of Samoa (Samoan: fu‘a o Sāmoa) was first adopted from 24 February 1949, for UN Trusteeships, and continuously applied for the state's independence on 1 January 1962. It consists of a red field with a blue rectangle in the canton. The blue rectangle bears the Southern Cross: four large white stars and one smaller star. It makes a total of five white stars.^[3]^[4]

The flag is officially defined by the Official Flag and National Anthem of Samoa Act 1994.^[5] When it is being raised or lowered in public, people and vehicles must stop and remain stationary until the performance is complete.^[6] Those who deface the flag or who wilfully insult it can be imprisoned for up to six months.^[7]

Historical flags

Prior to the First World War, Samoa was a colony of the German Empire. German colonies used the flag of the Imperial Colonial Office, a black-white-red tricolour defaced with the Imperial Eagle. The Imperial German government intended to introduce specific flags for the colonies (also based on the tricolour) and several proposals were created, but the war and the subsequent loss of all overseas territories prevented their official adoption. New Zealand occupied German Samoa in 1914 and officially gained control of the territory in 1919.

From the capture by New Zealand forces on 29 August 1914, a defaced ensign with three palm trees encircled, and emblazoned on the fly were used. The defaced Blue Ensign was used by vessels owned by the mandate government, or those operated in the government service, while the defaced Red Ensign was used by locally registered civilian ships.

Flag of the Kingdom of Samoa as depicted in the Flags of Paradise chart, similar to the Ottoman flag (1858-1873)
Flag of the Mālietoa dynasty in the Kingdom of Samoa (1875-1887, 1889–1900)
Flag of the Tui A'ana dynasty in the Kingdom of Samoa (1875-1887, 1889–1900)
Flag of the Tupua Tamasesse in the Kingdom of Samoa (1887–1889)
Flag of the German Colonial Office
The German colonial flag is raised, 1 March 1900
Proposal for German Samoa's flag, never adopted
Hoisting of the Union Jack, 30 August 1914
The flag of New Zealand was used during the control of NZ-forces (1914–1920)
Official Blue Ensign of Western Samoa under Mandate with UK (17 December 1920 – 1 January 1962)
Initial flag of Western Samoa acquired but not approved (26 May 1948)
Flag of Western Samoa under Trusteeships with NZ (24 February 1949 – 1 January 1962)
Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole & Malietoa Tanumafili II raise the flag on independence day, 1962

References

^ "A brief history of Sāmoan flags: 'Uniting under what colonisers brought to us', says academic". RNZ. 1 August 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
^ "Samoa PM opposes flag change proposal". RNZ. 5 July 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2024. Tuilaepa said the late Head of State Malietoa Tanumafili II drew the flag and painted in the colours.
^ "W. Samoa's Flag Approved In NZ". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. XIX, no. 8. 1 March 1949. p. 20. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "NEW FLAG FOR WESTERN SAMOA". Otago Daily Times. 26 February 1949. p. 9. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021 – via Papers past.
^ "Official Flag and National Anthem of Samoa Act 1994". PACLII. 28 July 1994. Archived from the original on 12 August 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
^ Official Flag and National Anthem of Samoa Act 1994, section 5.
^ Official Flag and National Anthem of Samoa Act 1994 UFO, section 7.